Latest bed occupancy figures show tourist accommodation as full as it has ever been over the past five years. Local hoteliers are also reporting indications of a strong August and good bookings through to next month.
‘Guernsey has a lot going for it as a visitor destination,’ said Guernsey Hospitality Association president Alan Sillett.
‘We are fortunate to have a beautiful, safe and distinctive island, with a rich history, excellent food, hospitality and outstanding outdoor experiences. At a time when there is so much uncertainty in the wider world, the Channel Islands can offer visitors somewhere that feels both accessible and perhaps a little different from the usual holiday destinations.’
Tourism figures are backed up by latest statistics which show that almost 7,000 more people travelled through the airport last month compared to July 2025 – a 10% increase.
Ferry travel was also significantly up during the month, after weaker performances in May and June.
Guernsey Ports is describing the figures as extremely encouraging.
‘These figures demonstrate strong connectivity and sustained demand for travel to and from the Bailiwick. They reflect the ongoing efforts of our teams to deliver safe, efficient and reliable services for residents and visitors,’ it said.
The ports are also reporting encouraging passenger numbers for the first half of August.
Air travel was particularly buoyant during July, showing its strongest performance for the month since before the Covid pandemic.
The new Heathrow link achieved its highest passenger numbers so far with 7,435 people carried, but Gatwick was also up by 1,234 travellers.
That was 5% more than in July last year, but overall Aurigny still carried fewer passengers to and from London, due to a 2,404 fall in numbers on the London City route.
Aurigny has taken the strategic decision to reduce capacity on London City in the face of the new, subsidised, competition from British Airways through Heathrow.
Travel to and from regional airports, such as Southampton, Birmingham and Exeter, was also up, and there was an 11% rise in passenger numbers on the Jersey route.
At the harbour, ferry travel bounced back in July after significant falls during both May and June. The turnaround was strongest on the St Malo route, with 17,187 passengers using the island’s main French link, 4% up on the same month last year.
Numbers travelling by ferry between the UK and Guernsey rose by 3% for the month to 19,549.
‘It is particularly pleasing to see both air and sea routes performing strongly at the same time,’ Mr Sillett said.
‘Heathrow is continuing to build since the introduction of the British Airways service, while passenger numbers are also up across much of Aurigny’s network and on a number of regional routes. The return of British Airways and Heathrow has given our sector a real sense of confidence.
‘The recovery in ferry passenger numbers is also very welcome, particularly the performance of the St Malo route in July following a weaker start to the season.
‘Good, reliable connectivity is fundamental to the success of our visitor economy, so seeing growth across both air and sea links is encouraging.’
The bed occupancy figures for July have not yet been published but the latest figures, for June, show that it stood at 84% for the month. The joint-highest bed occupancy rate for any month over the past five years. Mr Sillett said there were signs that the strong performance of the visitor sector was continuing into the high season.
‘We are hearing positive feedback from our members about August, with several hotels reporting increased occupancy compared with the same period last year. Early indications are that September is also looking strong,’ he said.
But Mr Sillett warned against over-optimism and complacency.
‘It is still too early to say that we are having a bumper season, and we will want to see the final figures before drawing firm conclusions. However, the signs are increasingly positive.’